PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ITEMS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 276, 19 June 1874, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ITEMS.

i(JVEr.- v >EL ClajkevaSked'the IProvrnciaLvaTreaV* urer, •' in his reply to,, the mover I ISo: 10 he stated that the Government would refund to„ tlri '•iifcensF fees PecemheT'ilaatj iaccord|nJ tq,|;he ,prpydsiphs ,of itbe,Locaijߧven,ueSi, Ordinance; . and, that it ,was,, understood, that, »q . munichoality Ijad any,.clMmiupon,the.'j6!;oyeEn-; merit, in" jfujjure, ,py, ,Yir|bue., jof -clauses. 4\and ; ■.■ 5 ; , of the Municipal, 4s>>",-ss4pA (An^enijinent, Bill, which;.w&s_'quotedJby thelmoveiv'L. | Mr. Tumbull replied in the affirmajive. .fcLR.iUDKI L':SY.:-linJ'Any\JM COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. i On the item " Harbor Works, Kakanui, £10,000," being proposed. | Mr. Gillies objected, j Mr. Eeid.difFere'd'froni-MrVGfllies in saying that there were more urgent works than this.; with him,w&sj jfchey erect' a' wall that would stand ? jjTfl so, even £20,000 would be well spent. j Mr. Fish passing pf the item on differentgrojinds from those ufglfd'lGy'MrT "Gillies."" "he "did not "tnmSf'it" was necessary this of money should be expended on this port. They had the Oaniarii 'and Moerakiports, lvfiaShf were immeasurably superior to anything that could be constructed atKakanai. The number of vessels .entered,inwarda for, the, year, of 2,115 toiis' i regMer,'''shbV'hg'a~decrease of 18 vessels and 624 registered tons on the previous yetii - ; aud th-d.t ; taken as a fair iu.c'ex of what would go on in the port when the improvemeuis' were vanvideV! He considered thaf the Council should direct their attention a fewjLittle Bedling-* iW pnr'l-s, bat that the}'' should' make a 'thqr| bughjy good h*,rboiY ( alj!d'"tli»t could be dblie* better a i, O.nhWM'or v Mpert.ki'.' !i Therefore he sjakl.- ! let ! tiiemlA-7 biit a's' much'^4ney f at'those latter pkoes aa 6hey migj.ij tabik necessary. The great cuvse of. t.iils piaoe w;:s vile WdHt of centr.vji«jxh. !! ' ' ''•'-■■" 'l.-s-'i'i : Air. 'iiecnemj,kei:,:said: he ;.f.,s in.a tp state that withi:i two months of the rendering of the ret'uras referred to oy the harbormaster there were 1,400 . tons' of goods, .exported from'Kak'aWi' Tblere 'were millions of; tbus of scoue lying within a mile and a h«tl£ to three miles iof chisiporti; and it was very evident ih-M a in water carriage in connection; with such a .vast e.; .oo.Vu would result in immense benefit to. the province'.' Bui they must also be.u- in imiij. tills fact, that ■u-aless they could get "good professional advice, justifying the expenditure of the money the work-would not be prbeee&bll'-withs'.-'lii addition io other tvvticles of export Tie might liieution fallows and .preserved meats; j and<die feit'confident that nexc year's returns would show a considerable iiiciv<i.>e on those of I'asV yw.

Dr., Webster also warmly advocated the Puoption of the item, showing that facilities were much .required for tha tnuisit of atone and cereals, ais exports, and that it was not contemplated to carry any branch line there from the.main line.

Mr. Green said he felt confident that before the work was completed the Council would be called upon to supplement the sum, making it £3o,ikiO or £4:O,oJ<)M He also believed that that place would be benefited by the Northern Trunk Railway. Tallow and other materials could be couveyed otherwise as cheaply and expeditiously. Besides he did not see why the G juiicil should vote money for the purpose of benefiting private individuals.

Mr. Tecbemaker explained that there were Government q Harries and OojKSF^Pßm^^Rv "ries"in'lß'e *neigbT)orliood"as^Veffas"thoser"belonging to private individuals, aud the work was not required to be done to benefit in- .. diyiduals,_butJfchejjubljc...— —;—^;-r^^^riu: " Ivlf." FisnT Xnd. if this item be carried, Palmerston, Shag 'Valley, and other places can with as "much reason come to the Counvcil iandi ask fortaimil& ! peared to be one of-those things which jgere advocatedpby. the Government- benefit of cne of their supporters,' who followed them ''•' ! Mr;'"Reid- explained s tnat r ' the I, work J '"at Oamaru was very - different from that pro 4 ..posed to be'' carried ; out'atr-KakaiiuLii i'That. iat,Oamaru >■. was )to break the force of the ■waves of the sea,-accumulating during aflood.*;There could :be no doubt as'to,the success s ! of ; the. work..,. He did not like to be top 'hard on the speech of the hon. member. (Mr. Fish),, because, of course, it-was made for a purpose.; He could see that members wej?e dropping/in; one by one; but the hon. member, let the cat out of thV bag when he referred to the hon. ; member for Moeraki (Mr. Teschemaker) as a supporter of,.the Gjoyernment. That explained "'the position of the hon." member. (Mr. Fish: Hear,, hear.). .He, howe-ger,; , could tell that hon. member that, in plaejrig votes on the Estimates,'' the Government lad; not been influenced—by either supporters ori _ . T;j/.y/: j rx <? I Mr.'Teschemaker: I am surprised at what the hon. member forTJunedin (Mr. ,Fish) has; saidj'because; oiimy -honor)'hetoldme,^only' last week,' that he would support We'yote." j •iMr: ! Fish: Sir, whien''the hohi.'member \ •spoke to'me; 1- - "'''''' ! '■' ''•'•■'•'■'-i ■*"■'>'" '-'" j Mr. Teschemaker:- Sir, I did not speak to! the hon. member.- ; He : volunteered, aud li was much obliged to-bim. (Laughter.) j ~ .Mr.,Fjish: But J was,undejr ; the.impression; that the honV member.referred to Moeraki.

Mr. Teschemaker: Oh!"' Why, sir, the; hon. member read the Estimates himself, i dqeaaojf je&d) "MbetaM:"; (Hear, hear, and, | j Mr. Fish: T'can'only'say r 'that the hon. j member is entirely wrbns; in j Mr. if TyscHemakerr Why sir, 1 stake my • honor on it. -~ !

; -Mr. Fish. J cahri'ot Help"<it. ! '- I can "only add that if the member paid more attention to his dutiesin this House he would not make-such silly ; .'(Eaughter.) I am sorry for the hon. member. !.Mr.-Teschemaker:,itriwould) be:;a great deal better if the hon. member was sorry for himself, j (Hear,,hear.) ;,.,; .;,.;/.'(., <;nO Mr. Green asked; if. it was not true that the mainline would run through the most important quarry in the" district. Mr. Tesphemaker/replied in negativLej but said that' it might ruu througli several quarries. ''" ,;: •' •' - ; •■"

Mr. Green: Then there is not the. sligbtest doubtthat" the Government wilPtake care to have a station to remove the valuable stone to which the^hon.-member has referred: 7 ' ! '

Mr. Daniel gave'ifeasohs-why he consi- | dered that the word "-.riverton" should be j substituted for the*wprd'''KakanuL'•'•' 1 !■■■■'•> i The House divided; on the item with the j following result:—Ayes, 12; noes, 18. The ! item, .was therefore lost. The following .is I the division list:—

i Aves, 12: Messrs. Daniel^Davie,- Lumsjden, MiKellar, M'Lean (teller)/Reid, Stout, 'Sumpter, Teschemaker (teller), Turnbull, Webster, and Wood. Noes, 18: Messrs. Allan.. J.i C. 'Browne •G. F. C. Browne, BL_Clark, R. Clarke, de Lautour, Fish (teller,) Hazlett, Henderson, ilreland Kinross, M'Dermid', M'Kenzie, iM'JSTeiI, Rogers,'-Turtori; and Wilson. * | The item-" Taieri-at-Hyde, £2,000 (for ibridging the Taieri River, at Hyde,)"-was' it being ; explained • that : it: was initendedthe money should come o\it< of ! the iloan. '.,,/■.

i ~\\ . !,) :,-.-.\\ '}■■-< BILLS;' i-i:.. ,-Ai.'i'.V/' r -iA j On resuming, the following Bills were read ;a third time, and...passed:—The Otago Harbor Board' Bill,' the'Dunedin Presbyterian jChufch Lands Ordinance Amendment Bill, land the Hospitals Bill. j On the motion 1 of* Mr. Stout -Messrs. Davie iand Reid were elected' the' members of jCouiicil to'serve on the^ayo'Sarbor* Board' as provided for by the-Act.

J Mr Stout moved.th.e 1 8ecou i d reading of tha pill. He explained. thaWtliad been brought jforward in deference to a resolutiqn passed .by the Obuneir" 1 * " * ' sl)ilM " ■■■> ■ !fiiU ' | Mr M'G-lasha,n movEd-that the Bill be read thatUdayiAiijmbnth3;»^He E %as 1 qiiite surest' jvrouki nut be given effect "to: and he thought it would _,be. ao much; waste; of time] fto ; go; any; fuffcuer with it'" '

j Eventually the, motion was withdrawn:.and tfie'TßilL'was read'a second time as VtroposatL. i TM Revenue B;U (Np.a) jithe Naseby "Recreation' •Management Bill, the InvercargillTEeserves Management pi l dina'tfce'iAVnbn(lriient'' : 'and the' 'Appropriation Bill, 1874-5, were likewise read a second time. -

j These Bills,were .afterwards jread a third time and passed.' ' ' I glf I THE GOLDFIEIIbI SECRETARY. ] Mr. Reid announced, that the,,office of Goldfields'Secretary,-* for which provision Has been made in the,. Estimates, ; had been accepted by the mernber for'Ttawafau (Mr. IX M'Kellar). In doing so he stated that he was sure Mr. known; busi. ness'habits would'recommend.' his' appointment to the favorable consideration of theCouncil. ■'■'-■ '■■■■ > u - .;■'::•'; •<;>/•./;! | TOIAT/THORISED EXPENDITURE.

I Mr. Turnbull, on-±he-House resuming, moved, "That an address be presented to his Honor (( the Superintendent,, requesting hi: a't'6'forward'to'this Council a recommen- ; elation to grant a sum of money sufficient to meet the unauthorised—expenditure referred to in the letter from the Provincial Auditor laid, upon the . table by ■ Mr. Speaker on>the 12th day of May, 1874" /.I ; Motion carried. | NASEBY. j Mr. Reid moved, ""That an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, recommending that ■ section !<:8, ; B b10ck,511;,: Naseby, beset apart as a site for a school and master's j Motion carried.

THJE PROVINCIAL AUDITOR. ! ThfrH'oru the' Speat'er 'reajt' : tW'following' letter, which he had received from the Provincial Auditor :—.. »;.....•„ .-:,. .;„.,... .„,. ~.,„ | " Office of the Provincial Auditor, •' " rviinedih, June 15,1874. 'j " Sie, —-As directed by the Provincial' Audit Act, I have the-Honor'to'transmit to'»you the enclosed copy of letter to his Honor the Superintendent on the subject of the accounts (iud.lvil nfp-shppt for the finanHnl year ending March 31, IS7-J. .On, the second .of the current fnon'th' T wrote" to 'vou, enclosing a copy of the priuted balance-sheet, obtained after that document had been laid on the table of the Council, and'in that letter I re-, ported that; the 'iVeusury, books imd not been; balanced, n-nd that therefore, t could not graiit| the u ual certificate. r; As the provisions of the Act, in regard to furnishing me with the accounts for airlit, have ' uot yot been complied with, and the session of Council is-about to close, it is npoessjirv that I ahould again and more fully report-to you ?oh thfc'Wbject. I have therefore to state that, when it first became apparent, after the session had begum that the difficulty wou ; d arisu, I examined the

Audit Act wir.h a view to discover w aether any course of action was Lud down for me in •*uuh cireuuisLaiioes. It is hardly to be expected that special provision should have been made for such a most unusual contingency, an 1 accordingly J found that the Act uptimes (therein aarpping with universal j practice) that the boots shall be balanced and I the bal'ince-sheet jirepared before the Auditor's examination and certificate are requested. It then remained for me to consider what use I slioull make, in the in-«o»iMßtaJ»^-^lia^£re*UK)kJ--^ouQoil-r-ef>~the powers indirectly b=nving on the case vested in ra^ Apt. —lt k idt! appear advisable at uie juucbure Lo inaka special iuvestiga-*tion>-^a»^dh^-,*t^^,'«> i^y| interfered with the ; Treasury officers in their efforts to get the accounts ready for the Council, -,; an- would,; in point of fact, j have amounted to constructing rather than aifditing the balance-sheet.' 'But, as I possessea in my own books n-means of the Treisn.'y oiiicers, and at. the...saixu; time o£j&ra,v'Tug'dfca'hear approach.'to'confidence in the correctness of the-expendilure, I gave to the officer .depute/! bv, the Treasurer freeaccess to tnelh," arid'aU 'the assistiance * he d'esireli, with the result (highly o«ditaoie to ollicerj, of bringing; out a _ balance ,more nearly corretrttliau't 'ut'*'tirst'auacipate^' ! c6uld'be obLa'ifej within the lime at his-disposal. 1 have only further to add that a correct balance lias not. yet been ob'tainJd,'*'but''tfie error, I am informed, has been retiueed in amount, aud , there is a reasonable, prosyect.of. the accouuts being placed, ,'ia myV hands iinineiialJely' toi* audit, when they' wul ! oe subjected to as ■searching- ati'examination as the circumstances am, &c,' '••••■■i.-ii-.'^o

.'■•■ i"i ■■<-i'\r' : ; <«H. LIVIti&SION.;",,J; !,-I j"'Oflice of: Receiver of Land lieveiiue. ■■: j ■ r.il! fiiii-on-A ••" Jimedin,'June 15,167u;i '.-■•»<" the ; immediate close i6f the Provincial" Council, I have to under your Honor's notice that there has not yet been forwarder to me, as directed by the jJtiidife' ict/ the balance)BhVetahd'.aCiioiluls'of receipts and disbursemerits for the year endMarch 31, 1874. -I am of course aware tmvtithe .balance of; the bosks .had;.not >'been brpught out when the balanee r shset as printed was laid before the t 'ouneil; and I assume that,';forsthis reason,"my exaniinatiou; and'certificate were, with... I therefore thought it tieces«arry to procure and transmit to the Speaker of tbiT~Provincial. Council a copyof the 'unaudited with a letter stating briefly the circumstances of the case. Durin'g theisessionT Have waited; in the hope that the odicers of ; the< would be successful in their efforts- to discover the errorlin'itime.to allow ot .aujainen lediand jcertijfied balance sheet beiug.preuared. I now find tliat'tliLs ctvuuot be.dpue, audi have,ythereforb, respecifully to iui'orui your Honor that I haypj*epo|ted tothej Speakeri of Prowtt'cial Coii.si!ihit, in coiiseliijehce |f the iioiament in question not havinp me, I amnUftablel to comply with the irequirements of tlie Act in regard to the audit of the accounts for the past year.—.l have the'honjr to be, sir; your most obedient servant, v.''i ''•■■■■ (Signed) ■•! "i£. Livingston; ■< \ '•■■>•'. ;■;'.! ,!-'.,;ii.; . ) ■.■ "Provincial Auditor."''«"' ' _ EXPLANATION. .-.-<■-: Mr,. ( E«id .wished to make a stateiaeiit ;in reference to" the letter from the Auditor. The Act provided, that the documents should be furnished at as convenient aperiod He had reason to think that the balancesheet -would'be'dirt be bound up with the Votes and Proceedings. He also wished to ibring under tbfe notice <of the iPA)I vincial Council a leading, article which Appeared in one of the local newspapers, referring to the conduct of the Auditor. jßa (Mr. Reid) wished to state that, so f arias the, Government were concerned, .they believed I the Auditor had hot exceeded his duty in tiie' ! slightest degree. On the contrary, the Auili- ! tor was an officer independent of the Coun-. cil, : and it was his bounden duty to draw at-i ': tention to any sort of ifreigularity that might occur, though tiere ; were no 1 direct'viojlation of the Auiiit Act. •While" , pubUc men jwere able to speak for themselves; and were iopen to criticism by the Press, it did seem I somewhat hard that the Auditor, whose po- | sit ion debarred him from speaking for him-i |Belf, and who could npt therefore defend* jhimself, should be -subjected tosucH critiicism, more especially when it was an acjknowledged.fact that he had performed his jduties satisfactorily. The Colonial Government were employers,, and it was acjknowledged by all that Tie had given satisfaction. Indeed the Provincial Government ■were indebted to him "for having lent them jail the assistance in his power to bring out .the balance-sheet. At the present 'rridmenti. lie (Mr. Reid) believed that the sum which was causing alllthe -turmoil ind /commbt£o|il iWaS 144 d. -, , :-; _, ;.':-,.. :_- ■ ;.. ~;. ~ |^ j Mr. Turnbull wished tp>",move that it be an instruct lou to bind up acertifiecLbalanceBheet. with the Proceedings.''', -J" i The explained ?ng could be bound ilp/ with 'tie Vd^es ;l antf jPrpceedmgs <B: was laid' up6n' T tnS r ' iable.' ; ■ ; "' 1 : -'-- " ■■■i

I ' i :: ''" THE'LIGHT EAJXWAYTENIJERS. - :i: " '^* r Mr. Fish allowed the following miction :i to' 1 lapse:—" Tnatithis-Oouncili having had 1 under .consideration !tbe jeport ?of.; Select inittee; on Light.Railway Tenders and ;Es-:i penditure on Eoad Tokomairiro to Tuapeka- f is of opinion • that. the [charges ,■ preferred i ;ja this Opuncil by, the* ex- ; Provincial Treasurer,, against .the, Secretary, .for i are entirely disproved, and grets such statements should have been made by any member of the Council so entirely unsupported |•.'u j>' ;- \ >,* n The undermentioned .was moved by Mi| Fish in lieu of the above.—"'That, referring to the report of the Committee on the. light Railway Tenders '' and the Hxpeiwatore* on B-oad Tri&omairiro to Tuapeka, this Conncil , is of opinion that in the transfer by the ; 'late J Executive of the vote for road; 'Teviot to Tuapeka,' ' TokomaiririTta Tuapeka,' and in the acceptance of the Light Kailway Tinders,! ■' no individual member-of -the late Executive acted: from:.improper motives.": He';<( Mr. Fish) said he intended merely to move the motion, and believed he ,would meet the \vishes of 6n! alt sides 6f ; the HdusjP if he did hot make y:auy i remarks concerning it.

I His Honor, and prdrogued>lihe.. Council. *' '"" ;..i ..,,..,.!.,.; .'.-